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Agenda Item No. 3

 

The Vale of Glamorgan Council

 

Healthy Living and Social Care Scrutiny Committee: 8th  December 2016

 

Report of the Director of Environmental and Housing Services

 

Leisure Management Contract - Year 4 Report

 

Purpose of the Report

  1. To provide an update on the performance of the Leisure Management Contract.

Recommendations

  1. That Committee notes the performance of Legacy Leisure.
  2. That a year five annual report is presented to this Scrutiny Committee in 2017.
  3. That the Committee forms a working group to visit each of the Leisure Centres as recommended by the previous Economy and Environment Scrutiny Committee.

Reasons for the Recommendations

  1. To note the performance of the contractor in year 4 of the contract.
  2. To enable the Committee to be regularly updated on the performance of the Leisure Management Contract.
  3. To give greater involvement to Members of the Committee in appraising the performance of the contractor.

Background

  1. Committee will be aware that the Council's Leisure Management Contract was awarded to Parkwood Community Leisure and commenced on 1st August 2012 for a period of ten years with the possibility of a further five year extension. The award of the contract followed an extensive procurement process and set out to significantly reduce the revenue cost to the Council of its Leisure Centres operation. The contract was subsequently sub-contracted to Legacy Leisure, a not for profit charitable organisation, in October 2014 that provided the opportunity for further savings to be made.

Relevant Issues and Options

  1. Attached at Appendix 'A' is the executive summary from the year 4 annual report form Legacy Leisure. Committee will note that the annual report follows the format of the monitoring checklist discussed previously, which highlights parts of the contract and specification that Legacy Leisure are required to report on. The information concentrates on the key requirements of the contract documentation and is broken down into four areas, Financial (protecting the investment), Property (protecting the asset), Leisure Service (protecting the customer) and Employment (protecting the workforce). The team approach to monitoring has now also been fully established utilising specific officers within the finance, property and human resources departments, in addition to the leisure department.
  2. The annual report highlights a number of successes achieved during the year including improvements to environmental impacts, a comprehensive staff training programme, redecoration of several key areas, creation of a dojo facility in Barry Leisure Centre, several major marketing initiatives to attract new customers, a detailed breakdown of Health and Safety audits completed, and completion of customer surveys.
  3. Significant developments are also planned for year 5 of the contract. These include the upgrading of key changing facilities, utilisation of current unused space in Penarth Leisure Centre and the development of a 5-a-side facility at Barry Sports Centre. In addition negotiations are also progressing on the possibility of activating the extension clause within the contract of a further 5 years beyond the initial 10 year contact to provide greater security and certainty to both the Council and Legacy Leisure in developing the service.
  4. Previously the Economy and Environment Scrutiny Committee established a small members working group who would periodically visit a Legacy Leisure site within the Vale of Glamorgan to see the quality of the service. This would normally be done without advance notice to Legacy Leisure but a member of Legacy's staff would be given the opportunity to walk around the site with the working group and an officer from the Council. The formation of a working group within this Committee is something that could be considered.

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

  1. Under the terms of the contract, Legacy Leisure is now paying the Council for the delivery of this service.

Sustainability and Climate Change Implications

  1. Many of the improvements carried out as part of the Condition Survey works at the commencement of the contract have increased the effectiveness and efficiency of major items of plant within the Leisure Centres. This is intrinsically linked to the Council's sustainability and climate change objectives. The planned works on the changing facilities will also increase energy efficiency.

Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)

  1. There are no specific legal implications associated with this report.

Crime and Disorder Implications

  1. There are no significant crime and disorder implications associated with this report.

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language issues)

  1. Legacy Leisure has continued to demonstrate its commitment to equal opportunities during year four of the contract.

Corporate/Service Objectives

  1. Well-being Outcome 4: An Active and Healthy Vale:

Objective 7: Encouraging and promoting active and healthy lifestyles.

Work in partnership to deliver a range of activities through our leisure and community facilities and parks to increase levels of participation and physical activity.

Policy Framework and Budget

  1. This report is within the policy framework and budget.

Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)

  1. No ward member consultation has taken place as the Leisure Management Contract delivers services across the whole of the Vale of Glamorgan.

Background Papers

Annual Report from Legacy Leisure

Contact Officer

David Knevett, Operational Manager, Leisure

Officers Consulted

Operational Manager; Finance

Operational manger, Property

Financial Accountant - Visible Services

Committee Reports

Head of Visible Services and Transport

Responsible Officer:

Miles Punter, Director of Environment and Housing Services